Merry Christmas!

This is what reminds me of Christmas...a German Christmas! My mother was always so great at baking cookies, decorating the house, and just making Christmas nice. We have maintained a lot of those same traditions at our home. I spoke to my brother, Dusty. I have not spoken to him in awhile...you know life just gets in the way of important things like that. It shouldn't. My brother is a very special guy to me. He is my youngest brother, and I have always loved him. I remember when he was brought home from the hospital...I had a cold, and my Mom told me not to kiss him. I did it anyway--he is just irresistible. Adrien, my son, reminds me a lot of Dusty--they have the same personality, expressions and sense of humor. It was great talking to him, and I am proud to be his sister! Yet amid the gift giving, eating, traditions, and connecting with love ones...Christmas is about sacrifice. The sacrifice of our Heavenly Father allowing his only begotten Son to come to earth. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ coming here taking upon Him our errors and mistakes. He is the way, the truth, and the light! In the immortal words of Tiny Tim, "God bless us, everyone!"

More Christmas Pictures......

A Rootin Tootin Early Christmas....

Yes, you did SEE Santa on Friday night! We had the elder's over for a Christmas Eve meal. We had Ham, pineapple souffle (Thanks, Jae), green beans, mashed potatoes, rolls,stuffing..it was awesome! Theo made nearly everything, but the souffle.I actually was allowed entrance into the sacred kitchen of Theobald, and I got security cooking clearance to make the souffle. We had Christmas music blaring all day! The kids opened their new pj's, and immediately put them on. We also had a meat and cheese tray to munch on. Then the kids went to bed. The picture with the wrapping paper on the hallway entrance is a tradition with us. This safeguards the downstairs for Santa, and is fun for the kids to break through in the morning..notice a hand on the side..the rest is the kids opening their gifts! Notice Adrien's reaction to the videogame he received...also watch out for the underwear cowboy!Thanks to the many that helped with Christmas this year!

Mickey Dee's

A good friend of ours owns a few McDonald's. She invited us out for a meal, and then I was to go home with her to do genealogy (a win for me all the way!)It was really neat for us to just go in and order whatever we wanted...Brett really likes the Happy Meal toys, so Amy just handed him one of each toy! Brett also disappeared with Amy on a tour of the back of the restaurant. Brett was in awe at the burgers cooking and all of the "cookers"...It was a fun night with our friend. Later, I stayed at her house until 3am searching for ancestors..we were quite successful...and it was a great spiritual experience!Oh by the way...Brett's front tooth is loose! He is just 4..I find this quite odd....

Elf on Lake Toho

We got to enjoy a great evening out--FREE! The City of St. Cloud plays movies once a month on the lakefront of Lake Tohopekaliga. We love the lake which is covers over 18k acres. One Friday night we bundled up Brett and Adrien, blankets, snacks, and watched Elf, the featured movie. We had a great time! It was freezing at about 60 degrees. As you can see from the photos some people had a little nap....:)

ICE, ICE... BABY! Who says it ain't cold in Florida?

Young Women activity was a special one this past Tuesday! All of us attended "Ice!" This is an indoor walking tour held at a ritzy hotel in the area. Basically everything is made of ice. You get these huge coats to wear in the 9 degree temp, "free hot cocoa" and get to slide down an ice slide. Vanessa and I thought it was HILARIOUS when the announcer asked people NOT to stick their tongues on any of the sculptures! Remember, all of these pictures are ICE. It was dark, dark in there, and my camera is not the best! I got kinda misty-eyed feeling cold. Reminded me of home in Indiana. The cold did not really bother Vanessa or I, but some folks that showed up in shorts was freezing their "mahookees" (made-up Brett word) off! It really was fun horsing around and listening to the 5 Beehives buzzing about that "hot boy, Adrien." What was REALLY funny is when they asked me if I thought he was cute! You should have seen their faces when I explained that he is my son! Vanessa said that asked her if she was going out with Adrien! She said, "Idiots. He is my brother." Love that kid!

It's FHE with our favorite missionaries!

Will there be snow? No. Will there be a cheery fireplace to hang stockings by? Nope. Will Jack Frost come "nipping at our noses?" nada. Do we hang our heads and cry? No cause TheoSanta is coming to town!..and we are in Florida...warm. Yes, another fun filled crazy time at the annual "lighting of the Theo tree." As you can see a few pics down EggNoggin slap-happy people! I hope everyone enjoys Todd's new tattoo. He thinks he is Irish and a member of a motorcycle club..I have told him 3 times that we are members of a jelly-of-the-month club... called Harley Jellies, but eh? This year Todd was in charge of Christmas music, hot cocoa, egg nog and snacks. He made the elders and Adrien get the boxes out of the garage...Vanessa and the elders hung ornaments along with santa's little elf, "Brett." Everyone decorated our Gingerbread "garage"...yeah, you heard right..not house.. but garage..c'mon look at it--would you wanna live there? Brett made his best angry reindeer face. don't ask. The elders had a great time! These are our favorite so far..they are not in our ward, but sneak over because we are fun....ok, ok, for free food. Our tree leans to the RIGHT...which is fine for us conservatives:)

Last Visit to Opa's & the Fruits of our labors...

This was our last visit to Beverly Hills, Florida. My Dad had a seizure on Thanksgiving.We are still waiting on the test results to see if it was a stroke. He is doing better, and will get out of the hospital on Monday. Regardless, Judy and my Dad are still leaving for Kentucky two days later. We went up to see him on Saturday, but he was asleep. We then went to their house to see what we could do to help. Judy wanted the oranges picked off from their tree to take with them on Wednesday. It was a gorgeous day, so we fetched the ladder, gathered them, and had fun! They smelled awesome! Vanessa and Todd had a little TOO much fun with the fruit! KIDS! Brett really does not get it yet... that you don't just bite into an orange...Adrien the "muscle" behind the scenes!

Thanksgiving...the self-induced food coma

Wow! We had a great Thanksgiving! Our pals, the "Chamness"es invited us over for a great meal, conversation, video/board games, Black Friday shopping ads, and to generally make fun of folks (our favorite pastime)...Terresa had all of her boys together so we were able to get some pictures for her. The food was bountiful and delicious!We have spent all of our Thanksgivings with the Chamnesses--except for the time we went on a cruise, and the first one in 2002(Shane and Kayleen came down from Tennessee). Good Times, good times!

Glock-en-spiele German for "Busta Cap"

We had a great day today! Friends from church took Todd, Adrien and I to a shooting range! Our family really enjoys guns. After all it is our 2nd amendment right :) We tried out several guns to see which was our favorite gun. Adrien and Todd prefer "Hazel" aka .38 Special. I thought the gun a bit too wimpy for me! I prefer the Versa Thunder..it packs a punch! Todd and I are planning on getting a concealed weapons permit eventually. Adrien has an AK-47 in his hands in the bottom picture:) The target at the top is sadly--my shots--I tend to hit the ceiling to the amusement of the boys! Adrien is a fine marksman and was complimented profusely on his natural talent! Theo aka "Shakes" was a good shot as well! Vanessa and Adrien already learned how to shoot from their two grandpa's, who are big proponents of the right to bear arms. I know many people are wailing and gnashing teeth over this one. Mommies throwing hands over children's faces... Hummm...Do I care? Nope! One day the time will come (Oh, No! another THEOBALD CONSPIRACY THEORY (#13 for those liberals counting...)when we will need to defend our food storage, God, and ourselves. I want to be prepared. Our family likes terms like "packing heat" "bustin caps", "hands in the air, thug" as well as "reach for the sky, varmit". Remember when you come trespassing into our home...Guns do not kill people....we do!

Beverly Hills--That's where I want to be ........

Well, My Dad is getting old (75). It is difficult to see a once vibrant, military tough man reduced to a bed. The man that used to jump out of airplanes, run through jungles in Panama, Korea and Vietnam and referee Army basketball and baseball games can't walk. He is also losing some of his memory. He thinks that my mother is still alive and calls for her on occasion. He does remember us, but forgets the amount of time we have visited. What is really sad is that his wife, Judy, thinks it will be better if they moved back to Kentucky. I will not be able to visit as often or just go on a whim to visit. Todd was able to give my Dad a blessing for the very first time on Saturday night before we left. The Spirit was strong and moved Judy, Todd, and I to tears and the kids to silence. Adrien confirmed what I felt as well...that he does not have long. Todd remains silent on this. Todd really loves my Dad. He so enjoys going up there and laughing...we can be just so crazy with Dad and Judy. I remember when Todd and Dad hopped into McDonald's and acted like Easter bunnies or when they took a whiz on someone's garbage in the middle of the night when we were "trash pickin" and hundreds of other crazy stories...here is the drive home--Brett and Adrien asleep and Ness is up --"Night Owl Ness" and here is Dad...

#81 is my son! Goooo Adrien!

Adrien refused to let me take any pictures of him for my blog because I supposedly misquoted him in the earlier "baggy drawers" installment--DENIED. Anywho...He is #81. He is beautiful!Look at the concentration. The inertia! Todd and Brett were intensely observing the championship game. They did lose :( Adrien took it like a trooper!

Vanessa is DRIVING AN ACTUAL CAR--WARNING!

Vanessa prefers to go driving with Todd because she says I "freak out too much, and stomp on the floorboard." Humm. This is my first child and only daughter so far....carried her for 9 months...11 hours of labor...me freak out??Puhleease. OK maybe a little like when she saw a car driving toward her and she covered her eyes? or she backed out of Opa and Grandma Judy's driveway and threw out my back (I was outside the car by the way)..so Todd decided to help her...Here are some photos of her backing out of the driveway..you will notice our neighbor, Jack! Jack walked over and said to me as he gestured to Vanessa sitting in our car, "You could have warned me!" She did "well", said Todd. I wonder why he immediately went in and got a shot of insulin...he also had to "lay down"...hummm. I will say when she drove off a little piece of my heart went with her. One day she will be driving these mean streets ---alone. She looks so grown-up...

Bretty Schools Daddy

We were scrambling to go to Adrien's Championship Football game--Kissimmee Kowboys Vs. Osceola Panthers when Brett came downstairs after a shower dressed in his "Superman" Pj's. Todd and I said "Bretty you can't wear that to the game--please go change" so he went back upstairs and came down in the cutest outfit! Todd noticed that he had on two shirts a bit later.."Brett you need to only wear the white shirt because you will be hot at the game, and Mommy told you not to wear your Pj's"...Brett looked at Todd, and said "Well, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!"
Brett 1 Todd 0 game over